The National tribune., 1887-06-09
THE ST. LOUIS MIDDLE.

ueCA oNekNhtiulcu WIN thEiy plOtc>to AAoih
the comrades all over the country. The
pressure was at last too heavy to bear any
longer, and the matter became public. The
committee informed the citizens that if Mr.
Cleveland came he would come as the guest
OF the citizens, and not of the GAR. Gen.
d. z. Grier, the Chairman of the Local Ex-
ecutive Committee, said in a card to the
GlObe-DemOcrGt
The Executive Committee some months ago in
vited the President to visit ST. Louis at the time Of
the Eneampment. To this invitation have not
received any reply; but see by the papers that
Mr.. Cleveland has accepted The invitation ten
dered him by n number OF citizens to be present
during the Encampment With this invitation the
Grand Army has nothing at all to do, and the
President, while in st. Louis will be the guest Of
the citizens and not OF the Grand Army, j should
consider it to be in decidedly bad taste for the SOL
ders to appoint committee 10 receive him, in
any way attempt to arrange his program while in
the city. We can go on with our Encampment,
leaving his entertainment in the hands of those who
invited him. lie will review the parade a guest
Of the citizens, who will make all necessary ar
rangements and appoint such delegates they
may see tit.
Thereupon the ST. Louis Republican and the
Post Dispatch, and some Of the prO-Cleyeland
papers outside of the city, fell upon Gen.
Grier and abused him viciously, as "pusil-
Luminous partisan" etc.
Then Gen. ]. NJ. Tuttle, Commander Of the
Department of Iowa, appeared on the scene
and read the Local Executive Committee q
scathing lecture for inviting the President
He said:
II the President should come an organized ef
fort would be made to entrsp the Grand Army into
an Endorsement Of the pension veto. Any such at
tempt will sharply be checked by the Grand Army
men, but would lead to unpleasant feeling and dis
cord. We object more strongly TO his taking any
part whatever in the Encampment, to his receiving
any official recognition from the Grand Army, and
especially 10 passing in review before him. We
object TO his presence in any capacity and will stay
away To a man should he come as a guest of the
Grand Army men. l can say this in behalf Of the
Department Of Iowa. and know that the feeling
is strong in Illinois. have just come from that
State and heard nothing bu, Indignation expressed
at the mere thought that he was to be guest Of
the veterans Of the war.
OF course all the pro-Cleveland papers
turned their guns on him, and are ut this
writing abusing him-a man who served
his country gallantly in the feld-a thou
sand-fold wotse than they ever did the men
who plotted to burn Northern cities, and dis
seminate disease by means OF infected cloth
ing. All sorts of wild and incorporate utter
ances are put into his mouth-things that
he probably never dreamed of saying, and
mean attacks are made upon his character
to break down the force Of his position.
Col. III. c. Russell, Commander of the De-
partment of Nebraska, also came to the city,
and took substantially the same position as
Gen. Tuttle. He said:
"As far as the Grand Army in Nebraska is CON
cerned, Mr.. Cleveland has scarcely friend in
the state. Democrats and Republicans are united
| in the strongest condemnation of his in re-
gard to the pension BILL and he Is almost entirely
without friends in ranks. An unusually large
! number of Democrats have joined the Grand Army
| within the last two years, and these out
spoken the Republicans in their structures. Nc
stronger proof Of the unhnmty of sentiment on
this subject could be offered than the action of the
Grand Army at the last State Encampment.- On
that occasion resolutions adopted condemning
the dependent pension veto, and of the 600 men
| present but a single vote recorded against the
| resolution and this more than was given
Oh that side in Iowa. Cleveland is most unpopular
| with the Grand Army men of our State. and this
not because of politics but because of his hostile
action in respect to the veterans of the war"
should President Cleveland attend the National
| Encampment as a guest of the Grand Army. would
the Nebraska men turn out in foree?"
| Scarcely "A Corporars Guard could be mustered
in St. Louis were the President there at the inyi
tation of the Grand Army. The Nebraska veter
ans would most emphatically decline 10 do him
honor and it is most earnestly to be hoped that he
will not be present during the Encampment In any
capacity. men do not want to see him. ol
have anything to do with him. His presence woulC
be a great drawback to the success of the Eucamp
ment and would be about the most unpleasant
feature that could be introduced. We all hope hi
will stay away, as his presence could only intro
duce exceedingly unpleasant and discordan
element into what would otherwise be the mos
successful Encampment ever held"
Other Department Commanders an(
prominent GAR. men have expressed
themselves with similar distinctness.
A week Of hot discussion resulted in th,
arrangement set forth in the following dis
patch by the Associated Press:
At the regular meeting OF the Citizens Executive
Committee having in charge the preparations 70
the entertainment Of the Grand Army Of the Re
public during the holding of their Encampmen
here next September the whole matter of how an,
by whom President Cleveland invited to b
present, which has caused something of n eommC
tion throughout the country lately, WAS fully dis
cussed and a resolution adopted stating tina
the Citizens Committee Is not in any way the reI
resentatve OF the Grand Army; that II claims N
authority from the Grand Army and none of il
acts are binding on that organization. During th
discussion it clearly shown that the idea {
inviting the President To visit 1t. Louis during tn
Encampment originated with and was carried on
by the Citizens Committee and by the citizens {
whatever to do with it. II is hoped this matte
will find rest.
This apparently sewers al connection bs
tween the GAR. and the Presidents visi
e and leaves it TO be arranged between hir
( and the Citizens Committee when he sha
make his visit and how he shall be entel
tanned. If now the matter can be carried
, step farther, and the announcement be mad